Terms and conditions

 

Definitions

Account means your account through the MyAccount service

Loss means loss, damage, cost or expense (to any person or property) including consequential or indirect loss or any loss of profits, data or revenue.

Our, us and we means the Commonwealth of Australia represented by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), the Repatriation Commission and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission.

Participating Agencies are Commonwealth of Australia agencies that are working with us to deliver services to you. These include Department of Finance and Deregulation, Australian Government Information Management Office, and Department of Human Services.

You and your means the user of MyAccount

 

The MyAccount service

1. DVA makes available to you the MyAccount service on the terms and conditions as follows.
2. To create and use your account you must accept and comply with these terms and conditions. Using the account signifies acceptance of these terms and conditions every time you use it.
3. We may make changes to the terms and conditions at any time. If this happens, you will be asked to accept the new terms and conditions the next time you access your account. If you choose not to accept the terms and conditions, you will be unable to access your account.
4. Non compliance with these terms means that your account may be disabled, suspended or cancelled. Your account may also be cancelled if we have information that indicates that you are no longer eligible for this service.
5. You may cancel your account at any time. If your account is cancelled, you will need to undertake the registration process again to open a new account. Cancellation of your account will not affect your access to your my.gov.au account and will not affect your access to other participating agency online accounts. It will not affect your ability or entitlement to continue to access any part of your records held with DVA, through channels other than MyAccount.
6. If you cannot access your account for any reason, you can communicate with DVA through other channels, for example by telephone or thorough email.
   

 

Lawful Purposes

7. You agree to use your account only for lawful purposes, and in a manner that does not infringe the rights of or restrict or inhibit the use of MyAccount by any third party. This includes conduct which is unlawful or which may harass or cause distress or inconvenience to any person, the transmission of obscene or offensive content or disruption to MyAccount.
8. You must not post or transmit via your account any unlawful, defamatory, obscene, offensive or scandalous material, or any material that constitutes or encourages conduct that would contravene any law.

 

Your Responsibilities

9. You agree to:

• keep your account user ID, password and your secret questions and answers secure at all times;
• not permit any other person to use your user ID and password;
• make your password as strong as possible; and
• change your password regularly or when prompted.

10. You agree to report any suspicious or unauthorised activity relating to your account by contacting us.
11. You must not provide false or misleading information. Doing so could result in prosecution and civil or criminal penalties. Providing false or misleading information through your account will be treated in the same way as providing such information on a form, in person or by other means.
12. You should use appropriate and up-to-date firewall and anti-virus software to protect your computer systems.
13. In addition, if you are accessing MyAccount as a nominated representative, you agree to only use MyAccount in accordance with the terms of your relationship with the individual you are representing.
    

 

Privacy

14. We have responsibilities relating to the collection, use and disclosure of your information under the Privacy Act 1988.
15. Through MyAccount, we collect personal information that you choose to give us, such as your email address and site visit data. We will only use the information you provide for the assessment and administration of entitlements and services, including the MyAccount service.
16. If we ask you for personal information in order to provide you with a service that you have requested, we will tell you how we intend to use that personal information. We will only use this information in accordance with the purposes for which you gave it to us or as required or authorised by law. If you choose not to provide the information we seek, this may preclude your access to or limit the online services that we are able to provide you with.
17. We may ask you for certain personal information that evidences your identity. This is so that we can protect your privacy and the privacy of others.
18. We will only disclose your information to other Departments or agencies, persons or bodies where you have provided consent or it is required or authorised by law.
    

 

Security

19. The development of the My Account website is coordinated by DVA. Some interactions occur on systems under the control of other Participating Agencies. We are responsible for:

• the security of information while it is collected by, stored on or passing through our DVA systems; and
• the security of the links from our systems to systems under the control of Participating Agencies.

20. Participating Agencies are responsible for the security of information while it is collected by, stored on or passing through systems within their control.
21. DVA encrypts all data transmitted between your computer's web browser and DVA's computers when you make use of any of these services.
22. Your data will be stored at a secure facility.
23. All access to the system is logged to assist us in identifying any unauthorised behaviour.
    

 

Disclaimer

24. Your use of your account does not:

• affect or reduce any obligation owed to you by DVA; or
• reduce any obligation you owe to DVA.

25. DVA will make reasonable efforts to maintain current and accurate information. Users should carefully evaluate the accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance of this information for their purposes before relying on the material in any important matter. Users should always obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances. DVA encourages you to contact us if you have any concern about the information contained in your account. 
26. We will take reasonable safeguards to protect your privacy when obtaining and/or providing information through the MyAccount service. However, we cannot accept responsibility for all possible privacy breaches that may be outside of the Department’s control and that could arise as a result of you using your account.
27. You should be aware that there may be inherent risks associated with the transmission of information via the Internet. While we will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that your Account and your information are not compromised, we cannot guarantee this.
28. Where connection to a system or website outside our control compromises the objectives of MyAccount, we may sever links to that system or website.
29. DVA will make reasonable efforts to ensure the availability MyAccount for use as required by you, but does not guarantee that your access to your account will be continuous and uninterrupted.
30. DVA will presume that any transaction or communication made through your account was made by you.
31. DVA may make changes to MyAccount at any time, with or without notice to you.

 

General

32. If any of these terms and conditions are held to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal for any reason, the remaining terms and conditions will continue in full force.
33. These terms and conditions do not affect or negate any terms or conditions that apply to your use of any other government Department or Agency website.
34. These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of the Australian Capital Territory, Australia and you agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Australian Capital Territory.
35. Please contact us if you have any questions, problems or feedback regarding MyAccount by phoning 1800 555 254 if you are outside a major city.